Steppes In Africa; A Disney-inspired Safari-N is for: Next Stop- The SERENGETI!! (7/28)

[pkondz]

And now there's more to see too!

And I'm caught up on that too!

Yes, with tons of government and other international pressures it's been cut way back. Plus, heavy fines and jail time.

Good.

I think though, it has taken quite some time for the villagers who are very poor to see even a little of the safari industry cash/profits.

Hmmm... I'm betting not a lot of villagers were profiting from the poaching either.

Mhmmm. But... no seatbelts either. So....

Oh, fine. Rain on my parade... of convertibles.

I'm sure it was poaching. Safari income/economy took quite some time to develop.

Ah

Nope, they definitely don't "laugh". More on this coming up....

Disappointing, but...

LOL! Stripey horseys.

Well, sure. If you want a little hand.

 

[missjackiemcg]

I thought this one was my absolute favorite of the whole bunch...see below, I was wrong, LOL. Those layers of land meeting sky!!!!!! It's so incredible!!

OMGoodness!!!!!!! The cuteness!!

Move over, Moo Dang!!!!

What a cool shot! It reminds me of the movie, The Ring. Awesome.

This one is my new favorite!

So incredible that this is reality!!!! It looks like the type of background I would pick for my zooms during Covid!

 

[buzzrelly]

What absolutely gorgeous photos! And such an incredible experience! How will you ever be able to enjoy KS at AK again??

 

[Steppesister]

M is for: Magical Endings of My Many-Animal Sightings Kind of Day- Ngorongoro Crater, Pt. 5
May 7, 2025​

Our lunch had been a late one and while there were a few last sightings we enjoyed, none were quite as good as this magnificent male lion lounging in the sunlight.

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Around 5:00, Emanuel and Freddie let me know that we needed to get moving so we could be up and out of the park before 6:00.

On the way out, we saw the second of the 2 jackal species- this time the Black-backed Jackal.

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Here is the Golden Jackal for comparison:

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Hurrying along, I only had time for snaps along the way and then it was up, up, up, the winding road to the misty, cloudy rim.

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The guides timed it just right and we were at the Park Headquarters with 20 minutes to spare.

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It had been an extremely long day and I won’t lie, I was completely wiped out and exhausted and definitely ready for my “Sundowner” and an elegant dinner. Let me just say here: I paid an embarrassing amount of money for this 2-week experience, but I have zero regrets over that and would do it again in a heartbeat. The level of pampering and luxury were so worth every penny. I felt very safe and that every detail, including every travel hiccup, was professionally attended to.

Anote and her staff were there to greet us, and my things were taken to the room for me. After freshening up, Anote came back to the room, and I was escorted to the bar for my cocktail. With exquisite African artwork completely surrounding me, I sipped a Gin Fizz at a high-top overlooking the in-ground wine cellar.

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Soon, the waitstaff took me to the Dining Room and showed me to a perfectly laid table.

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As usual, far too much food was served, but I did my best and skipped dessert. If memory serves, it was a cup of cream of celery soup to start, a chicken dish with a tasty sauce and oven-roasted veggies, and a lovely red beet and tomato salad with a light vinaigrette. All of this was farm-to-table from the Plantation Lodge’s gardens.

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Earlier in the day I’d started to get a bit of an earache which seemed to get worse throughout the day. I was nervous that it’d ramp up into a full-blown ear infection and I didn’t want to be out in the middle of the bush with no solution, so I reached out to the after-hours, on-call team and let them know that I might need an antibiotic before leaving for the Serengeti the next morning. They, in turn, reached out to the local MD to see what could be done….

With that I went to bed with dreams of wild animals grazing on soft, green grass under bright blue skies.

To recap the incredible animal list for the day:

Animals: Elephant, Hippo, Eland, Cape Buffalo, Golden Jackal, Black-backed Jackal, Spotted Hyena, Black Rhino, Baboon, Thompsons and Grant’s Gazelle, Warthog, Wildebeest, Zebra, Lion

Birds 41 species!: (not photographed) Tropical Boubou, Swifts, and Red fire Finch (photographed) White-backed Vulture, Kori Bustard, Hamerkop, Wire-tailed Swallow, Speckled Pigeon, African Harrier Hawk, Jackson’s Widowbird, Rufous-tailed Weaver, Rosy-throated Longclaw, Reed Cormorant, Red-billed Oxpecker, African Sacred Ibis, Secretary Bird, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Little Bee-eater, Speke’s Yellow Weavers, White-browed Coucal, Yellow-capped Bishop, Sooty Chat, Red-knobbed Coot, Cattle Egret, Pelican, Egyptian Goose, Cape Teal, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Black-headed Heron, Fischer’s Sparrow Lark, Syke’s Crested Lark, Rufous-naped Lark, Superb Starling, Yellow-billed Stork, Three-banded Plover, Great Crowned Crane, Mountain Buzzard, Brown Snake Eagle, Great Flamingo, Lesser Flamingo, Ostrich

The oddity of the Hamerkop, a bird I'd really hoped to see on this trip!

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[Steppesister]

OMG! They hit All the animals? Is this normal? Why do you want to hit animals with a car? Is this a form of hunting? WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!?!?

No, no. No animals were harmed in the making of this safari!

Not surprised at all. There are so many animals!

The density was shocking. I thought I'd have to work way harder at finding them.

Look at all the birds!
I think symbiotic relationships are cool. Like... sharks and wrasses for instance.

For sure! Lots of examples of that and they are fun to study.

That hippo looks like he's just cruising through: "Ho, hum. Another day at the office."

I was shocked at how many there were!

Nice shot of them grouped together like that.

Thanks!

It just goes on forever!

Awwwww...

Super cute, no? Hippo cuddles.

oooooohhhhh... so ferocious!

HAHAHAHA, and mommy would be sure to show the ferociousness.

Is that a typo or is it actually called a Chat? I've never heard of that!

Nope, not a typo. I'd never heard of a Chat either. Although now I now that Robins are a species in that family!

So that's where they went after they closed down Splash Mountain.

They've found a new Laughing Place.

Baby zebra! Errr.... zebra pony?

Colt? Maybe?

Great shot! And look at those massive horns!!

These dudes were humongous!

Took me a minute to figure out it's two and not three elephants. Cool shot.

Took me a bit too! LOL!! Kinda an optical illusion.

Just how big was that?!?!? And how close were you to it?!?!?!?!

Hmmm, I'd guess 4' tall? And quite close actually. It waltzed through the picnic area looking for goodies. Maybe 10' or fewer feet away?

No coffee????

I'd already spent a lot on this trip and was happy with the fare provided.

Whoaaaaa...

Uh huh. It's thrash you to pieces.

Coucal... another name I've never heard of.

Nor had I. Lots of new names to me. I'd studied the bird ID guide I'd downloaded before going and was super excited to see some of these super new-to-me species not found here.

Wow! Great bird shot!

Thanks. I didn't get many very crisp ones, so was super happy with this one. #needsnewgear

And you just threw that in there like it was no big thing!

LOL! Getting close was pretty tough on these guys. They were usually pretty far off in the distance, so I was happy with this shot.

 

[Steppesister]

Hmmm... I'm betting not a lot of villagers were profiting from the poaching either.

No, I'd think not. The trickle down effect doesn't always end up being what you'd think.

I thought this one was my absolute favorite of the whole bunch...see below, I was wrong, LOL. Those layers of land meeting sky!!!!!! It's so incredible!!

Such a beautiful setting, hard to choose a favorite.

OMGoodness!!!!!!! The cuteness!!

Animal toddler cuteness overload!

Move over, Moo Dang!!!!

What a cool shot! It reminds me of the movie, The Ring. Awesome.

I've not heard of that, but now I'm curious!

So incredible that this is reality!!!! It looks like the type of background I would pick for my zooms during Covid!

It was very surreal to be actually THERE, in the midst of such raw nature!

 

[Steppesister]

What absolutely gorgeous photos! And such an incredible experience! How will you ever be able to enjoy KS at AK again??

Thank you!! It was a surreal experience, and I'm still only just getting started!

I think so, but now I understand what a real safari can be and will go with eyes wide open.

 

[pkondz]

Those teeth!!

Just a big ol' puddy cat.

the Black-backed Jackal.

Did you say Blacque Jacque Shellacque?



(and... as a kid, I'd never notice, but as an adult... "Pogo Sticking"??? )

Good shot!

Nice capture.

Nice shot of you.

I paid an embarrassing amount of money for this 2-week experience, but I have zero regrets over that and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I've never regretted money spent on travel.

in-ground wine cellar.

Never would've expected that on an African safari!

Cool napkin animal!

If memory serves, it was a cup of cream of celery soup to start, a chicken dish with a tasty sauce and oven-roasted veggies, and a lovely red beet and tomato salad with a light vinaigrette. All of this was farm-to-table from the Plantation Lodge’s gardens.

Lots! You sure weren't eating out of a sack out in the bush!

I was nervous that it’d ramp up into a full-blown ear infection and I didn’t want to be out in the middle of the bush with no solution,

Animals: Elephant, Hippo, Eland, Cape Buffalo, Golden Jackal, Black-backed Jackal, Spotted Hyena, Black Rhino, Baboon, Thompsons and Grant’s Gazelle, Warthog, Wildebeest, Zebra, Lion

So many!

Birds 41 species!

The oddity of the Hamerkop

What makes it odd?

No animals were harmed in the making of this safari!

The density was shocking. I thought I'd have to work way harder at finding them.

I would've thought that you'd drive for hours and maybe see a lion, or zebra, or some such. Not... freaking all the animals in Africa!

Super cute, no? Hippo cuddles.

Hmmm, I'd guess 4' tall? And quite close actually. It waltzed through the picnic area looking for goodies. Maybe 10' or fewer feet away?

Just a little unnerving??

No, I'd think not. The trickle down effect doesn't always end up being what you'd think.

True.

 

[buzzrelly]

there were a few last sightings we enjoyed, none were quite as good as this magnificent male lion lounging in the sunlight.

Beautiful

The guides timed it just right and we were at the Park Headquarters with 20 minutes to spare.


[][/]

Such a perfect pic!

Let me just say here: I paid an embarrassing amount of money for this 2-week experience, but I have zero regrets over that and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Looks like it's worth every penny!

 

[Wood Nymph]

The black spotted jackal was very interesting.

I like the picture of you sitting in front of the park sign. My first thought that there must be another sign in a different language nearby.

Your meal sounds delicious. So many times you are eating things that I am scared to try. But I would eat everything you had for dinner.

The wine cellar is very dramatic. I get claustrophobia just thinking of it.

This area must be protected from poachers. Do they have any problems with it in this conservation area?

 

[Steppesister]

Those teeth!!

Grrrr! All the better to eat you with!

Did you say Blacque Jacque Shellacque?

I've never heard of this one! Hilarious!

(and... as a kid, I'd never notice, but as an adult... "Pogo Sticking"??? )

HAHA! The sight gags!

I've never regretted money spent on travel.

Absolutely!

Never would've expected that on an African safari!

Nor I! I wish I had asked to go down and check it out, but the sheer number of bottles was impressive.

Lots! You sure weren't eating out of a sack out in the bush!

Most definitely NOT! The food was absolutely fresh and gourmet. Had I done a more basic package (and there are loads of those- something for every budget) the food would have been more local-style and I would have been happy with that too, but this was sure nice!

What makes it odd?

I dunno, I think it looks like a prehistoric freak of avian nature.

I would've thought that you'd drive for hours and maybe see a lion, or zebra, or some such. Not... freaking all the animals in Africa!

Toldja!!

Just a little unnerving??

Hmm, a little. I'm sure it could peck an eye out, but from what I understand, they are scavengers and opportunists.

 

[Steppesister]

Beautiful


Such a perfect pic!



Looks like it's worth every penny!

So glad you're enjoying the photos and stories!!

 

[Steppesister]

The black spotted jackal was very interesting.

I think side-by-side you can really see the difference, but when I first saw it, I mistook it for another Golden. The guides are just so, so good at what they do and gave such good education on the animals.

"I like the picture of you sitting in front of the park sign. My first thought that there must be another sign in a different language nearby.

The way it was explained to us is that English is "The Official Language" and Swahili is "The National Language". Here is a good excerpt from Wiki:

" According to the official national linguistic policy announced in 1984, Swahili is the language of the social and political sphere as well as primary and adult education, whereas English is the language of secondary education, universities, technology, and higher courts.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Tanzania#cite_note-masebo-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a> The government announced in 2015 that it would discontinue the use of English as a language of education as part of an overhaul of the Tanzanian schools' system.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Tanzania#cite_note-5"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a>"

Your meal sounds delicious. So many times you are eating things that I am scared to try. But I would eat everything you had for dinner.

It honestly was very "Americanized/Westernized" food I was eating. In a few days from this, you'll see me make a special request for a "local meal".

The wine cellar is very dramatic. I get claustrophobia just thinking of it.

It really was! So elegant and obviously stocked well. I wished I'd asked to visit it.

This area must be protected from poachers. Do they have any problems with it in this conservation area?

Here is the bit of research I found:

https://www.savetherhino.org/rhino-info/poaching-stats/

and

According to a 2021 article from The Citizen, there were less than 10 elephants poached in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the preceding five years. While the article does not specify the exact timing of the last incident, it indicates a significant decline in poaching compared to previous years due to intensified anti-poaching efforts.
It's important to note that while this provides some insight into recent poaching trends for elephants, rhinos and other species also face poaching threats in the region. In 2024, South Africa saw a decline in rhino poaching deaths, but other areas like Namibia reported an increase, according to www.environmentalistview.com.ng.
Overall, poaching remains a significant threat to wildlife in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, necessitating continued vigilance and conservation efforts.

 

[zanzibar138]

none were quite as good as this magnificent male lion lounging in the sunlight.

How awesome!

On the way out, we saw the second of the 2 jackal species- this time the Black-backed Jackal.

I always think jackals look like they're sneaking around up to no good lol!

I felt very safe and that every detail, including every travel hiccup, was professionally attended to.

Honestly, that is the only way I would do Africa. There's too much that can go wrong, you definitely want to make sure you're well taken care of by people who know what they're doing.

I sipped a Gin Fizz at a high-top overlooking the in-ground wine cellar.

Very nice.

Soon, the waitstaff took me to the Dining Room and showed me to a perfectly laid table.

Love the napkin bird.

As usual, far too much food was served, but I did my best and skipped dessert.

No, not dessert!

Earlier in the day I’d started to get a bit of an earache which seemed to get worse throughout the day.

Uh oh. Thinking you must have managed to get on top of that.

To recap the incredible animal list for the day

Amazing!

The oddity of the Hamerkop, a bird I'd really hoped to see on this trip!

Very cute.

 

[pkondz]

Grrrr! All the better to eat you with!

I've never heard of this one! Hilarious!

No? I remember him quite clearly from Bugs Bunny.
Bugs kept building dams and he kept blowing them up.

I dunno, I think it looks like a prehistoric freak of avian nature.

I looked again and... I see what you mean! Little dinosaurs.

Hmm, a little. I'm sure it could peck an eye out, but from what I understand, they are scavengers and opportunists.

"Hey! Here's an opportunity to peck an eye out!"

 

[Steppesister]

N is for: Next Stop- The SERENGETI!!​

To say the least, I slept well after the very long day in The Crater; I definitely needed the rest. I was up before breakfast and eager to start my day off with a quiet walk around the lovely gardens of The Plantation, not wanting any bird sightings to go missed. A Speckled Mousebird (not a new species this trip) said hello before I got to the dining room where the friendliest staff wished me good morning.

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I need to back up just a bit... I'd gotten a text from the after-hours staff that they had contacted a doctor about getting me a prescription for my earache which felt about the same this morning- not worse, but not any better either. They said that he could have a prescription arranged but that's all I'd heard. Just a couple of texts back and forth from the staff and that I'd hear directly from the doctor "soon".


A beautiful, bounteous spread was all laid out and I helped myself to some meats, cheeses, yogurt and granola and an ample serving of fresh fruit. Of course, bacon and eggs followed. YUM!

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Then something happened that I was NOT expecting! I heard some singing start off in the distance. It got closer over the next minute or so and soon a smiling, clapping, singing entourage made their way into the dining room. It is very common for a camp’s staff to welcome or say goodbye to guests with a song and smiles, but this group came in carrying a cake! They were there to help me celebrate my BIRTHDAY!!! It was such a total, wonderful shock and I won’t lie, I was simply giddy with joy. WOW, just wow! Such a perfect way to start to my birthDAY! The timing of this trip was NOT built around my birthday whatsoever; I simply booked it when I thought it’d work out with the job hunt and then told my interviewers that I’d already booked a trip and they pre-loaded some PTO for it as part of my contract. That my birthday fell during it was a truly Providential event.

Enjoy my birthday song!

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And a sweet message from the Wilderness Guest Team:

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I may not have mentioned yet that for months prior to leaving I took some Swahili lessons and learned a little. I studied during free moments in the day and met with a very sweet young lady who moved here from Tanzania a couple evenings a week over FaceTime. I also had downloaded Duolingo and made some pretty good progress on greetings, light conversation, and things associated with safari. I was not even close to fluent, but learned a few phrases that made the locals smile when I pulled them out. I had not learned how to say "It's my birthday" as that wasn't even on my radar at all, so learned it while I was there. LOL!!

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Freddie and Emanuel had told me we’d leave for the airport at about 10:30, so I had time to take another walk on the expansive grounds. By then, a few more birds were out and about, and I got to add the Red-billed Firefinch and the Pied Wagtail to my list.

(Pied Wagtail)


(Red-billed Firefinch)
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The firepit area!

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The flora was also quite intriguing around the Lodge- flowers I’d never seen or heard of before.

(African Tulip Tree)


(Spiral Ginger Tree)


(Red Mistletoe Cactus)​

Okay, here’s a mystery antique for you to guess at: Let’s see how you do…

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I also grabbed a photo of the 3 most popular beers in East Africa. I think at least one, according to @missjackiemcg , is available at the Dawa Bar (Dawa means “Medicine” in case you were wondering.)

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Even the Main House's Restroom was gorgeous!

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Drinks were not free here at this Lodge, so the bill was settled up...

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Continued in next post...

 

[Steppesister]

... and then it was time to be off to a completely different and new location. I was going from green and lush to the drier grasslands further East- the Serengeti National Park. Google says it’d be about a 4-hour drive. But anyone who’s done a safari knows you can probably triple that. Most drives are not “drives from Point A to Point B"; they are exhilarating game drives with frequent stops to watch the animals that you will surely come across. I’m certain that is why the trip curators had me take a flight instead from Lake Manyara Airport to the Seronera Airstrip, located in the Central Serengeti area.

Right about the time I arrived at the airport, I finally got a call from the local doctor. He had a prescription ready that I could pick up in Karatu, but I sadly had to inform him that I was already at the airport and didn't have time anymore to pick it up. I told him I really appreciated his effort for me, but I would do what I could with what I had. I had received an invoice for his services about an hour before he called me, but never heard anything since and figured since his services were too late, I wasn't expected to pay.

​

Let’s see Lake Manyara from above…

(My camp would have been off in the distance on the shore on the right around one of those last peninsulas.)
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Whee!!!

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Sadly, you can see some of the flooding from here. I saw quite a few houses that were in the middle of water. I hoped the best for those people and a speedy recovery.

The next few should show you the amazing transition of landscape within just 75 miles. You can see the scads of farming plots thinning out to sparse land dotted with the occasional Boma community.

(I wonder where the National Park starts...? )





(Ruh roh!!)


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And thus starts the truly quintessential “bush safari” experience portion of my trip. If you think it’ll be any less luxurious, you’d be wrong, but it was very definitely more remote and wild.

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Ready, Set, GO!

(My carriage)​

I was met at the airstrip by a driver who quickly let me know that he was not an official guide. He did offer the choice though of a mini-game drive or the hurry to the camp for lunch. While the flight was a short 45 minutes, landing at 12:45, opportunities to see animals is always going to trump food. I eagerly accepted the offer of a game drive (meaning he’d stop along the way to let me watch animals that we came across) in exchange for a delayed lunch.

(Silverbird)



(Northern White-crowned Shrike)​

It started to sprinkle as we bounced along and the driver was quick to ask me how I was liking my African massage. This is a common, running joke amongst safari-goers and indeed every minute of driving is fraught with bone-jarring bumping and jerking to and fro. By the end of a long day, a hot shower and a soft bed are very, very welcome. The “Sundowner” makes a mighty fine muscle relaxant as well.

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The sprinkle turned into a shower of bigger drops as we stopped at the hippo pool to watch the poo-flinging bloat compete for their space in the relatively small pool.

(Okay, see that splashing at the tail end of the the hippo. What they don't tell you at Disney is that hippos actually have a quite disgusting habit of marking their territory and dominance by flinging their poop with their tails as they doo-doo. This along with the "yawning" are actually signals of aggression and a warning shot to others getting too close.)​

We crossed the river then parked at the water’s edge as the rain turned into a steady downpour. The driver (I’m sorry, I did not catch his name) made the decision to put the covers on the jeep putting a major damper on the pre-lunch game drive. But I wasn’t sad, I’d grabbed a few more birds in the short time since leaving the airstrip including the Black-headed Heron and the Egyptian Goose (both in the hippo pool photos), and an unidentifiable Hawk. (The driver said it was a Goshawk, but my photo stinks.)

(The unidentifiable hawk)
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Leaving the hippo pool, we crossed a small river, which is always a bit of an adventure. You may have noticed that most of the safari jeeps sport a snorkel for occasions such as this:

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We drove on and, while the rain didn’t quite let up, the skies were a bit brighter in the direction we were headed. A lone elephant munched on the grasses a bit further on, not seeming to care about the steady downpour as he threw large bunches of rain-soaked plants into its mouth. Oddly, this one only had one tusk; whether it had been lost it in a fight or on a tree remains a mystery.

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Still pouring, and the jeep zipped up, the driver stopped at a new-to-me animal for viewing- the Coke’s Hartebeest, also known as the kongoni. I believe this may have been the one and only spotting of this beautiful animal.

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I wasn’t familiar with the lay of the land quite yet, but the driver informed me that we were getting closer. He pointed to the hilly area we were driving along and that our camp was just around the other side of it. I’d already learned that distances are incredibly deceiving while on safari and what may look quite close can take hours to get to. Trucks drive very slowly due to the muddy, bumpy roads, the risk of hitting animals, stops for sightings, stops for getting drinks out of the cooler, stops for potty breaks, etc...

The rain was slowing down and turned into a lighter, but steady, drizzle. We drove on and were within 10 or so minutes from camp when a large tower of giraffe came into view. The 2 species of acacia trees made an exquisite backdrop for these magnificent creatures and taking time to watch them paid off huge. They ambled their way towards the jeep deciding to cross the road in front and in fact all around us; whether they were simply curious about us or remembering that the grass might be greener on the other side, I’ll never know.

(Yes, it really was that close. I totally could have touched it should I'd been stupid enough to.)​

Just prior to entering the camp, I spied a flash of yellow on the rocks to the side of the road! I was sure it was a lion and asked the driver to stop... that I was pretty sure there was a lion just nearby lying on the rocks. This is when I got my first introduction to “A.L.T.s”. You might be wondering what A.L.T.s are… breaking into light laugh, the driver said, “Oh no, that’s an A.L.T., an Animal Like Thing. I’d learn over the next days that, much like my Jackson’s Widowbird sighting the day before, the savannah has a way of tricking the eye and that the camouflage of animals is an astonishing miracle.

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With a drizzle yet lingering, the driver pulled right up near the tents and the staff of Lemala Tent Camp met us with umbrellas and warm menthol/eucalyptus facecloths to freshen up. What a luxurious welcome to my home-away-from-home for the next 2 nights!!!

Come back next time for the welcome to Lemala, lunch, and an afternoon game drive to remember!

 

[zanzibar138]

A Speckled Mousebird

Ooh that's a cute one!

A beautiful, bounteous spread was all laid out

Delicious!

They were there to help me celebrate my BIRTHDAY!!!

Very cool. I love that you got a social media shout out too!

Okay, here’s a mystery antique for you to guess at: Let’s see how you do…

I'm afraid I'm no good at guessing games... I'll have to wait for the answer.

I’m certain that is why the trip curators had me take a flight instead from Lake Manyara Airport to the Seronera Airstrip, located in the Central Serengeti area.

Great photos at the airport and from the plane. Sad that people have lost their houses to flooding though! I'm guessing they would normally be pretty well prepared for rainy seasons - was it a particularly bad year?

(My carriage)

Now that's what I was expecting!

While the flight was a short 45 minutes, landing at 12:45, opportunities to see animals is always going to trump food.

The sprinkle turned into a shower of bigger drops as we stopped at the hippo pool

I actually really love these photos with the rain on the water.

I believe this may have been the one and only spotting of this beautiful animal.

Lucky you opted for the mini game drive then!

They ambled their way towards the jeep deciding to cross the road in front and in fact all around us

Nice.

Come back next time for the welcome to Lemala, lunch, and an afternoon game drive to remember!

Looking forward to seeing your camp. They always look so luxurious!

 

[Steppesister]

Ooh that's a cute one!

Such neato birds there!

Very cool. I love that you got a social media shout out too!

It was just the start of such a wonderful birthday!

I'm afraid I'm no good at guessing games... I'll have to wait for the answer.

Coming up in the next update!

Great photos at the airport and from the plane. Sad that people have lost their houses to flooding though! I'm guessing they would normally be pretty well prepared for rainy seasons - was it a particularly bad year?

I'm honestly not sure. I do know that it was bad enough to wash out the bridges though.

I actually really love these photos with the rain on the water.

They turned out pretty good! I was pleasantly surprised!

Looking forward to seeing your camp. They always look so luxurious!

They really are! I was so impressed that that level of luxury could be found so remotely!

 

[Paulaparm]

Now I’m all caught up here, too! At the risk of sounding like a broken record, your pictures and videos are stunning!
The Plantation looks like a 5 star luxury resort!
What a cool experience when you got to dance with them AND got it on video.